Device for handling a waterlaunchable missile



y 1965 J. E. DRAIM 3,181,422

DEVICE FOR HANDLING A WATER-LAUNCHABLE MISSILE I Filed Nov. 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 LAUNCHING Fig.6

INVENTOR. JOHN EMERY DRAIM DEVICE FOR HANDLING A WATER-LAUNCHABLE MISSILE Filed Nov. 28, 1962 J. E. DRAIM May 4, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN EMERY DRAIM my. I q ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,181,422 DEVICE FOR HANDLING A WATER. LAUNCHABLE MISSILE John E. Draim, US. Navy, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Nov. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 240,759 9 Claims. (Cl. 89--1.7) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a device for handling a water-launchable missile and more particularly to a device which is capable of orienting a fiotable missile in water in a position for towing and servicing purposes and also capable of orienting the missile in the water in a substantially upright position for launching purposes.

The concept of freely floating missiles directly in a body of water for launching purposes has opened up an entirely new field of endeavor in the launching art, this concept being set forth in the patent application of LCDR John Emery Draim and LCDR Charles E. Stalzer, Serial No. 27,459 filed May 6, 1960, now US. Patent No. 3,077,143. This concept has made water the missiles launching pad and therefore has eliminated the requirement of expensive support equipment and the hazards to personnel that are encountered therewith. The seas are made the highways of weaponry and accordingly provision must be made for handling the missile in its transportation to various locations at sea as Well as handling the missile for ultimate launch. The present invention solves the problems of handling a floatable missile by mounting a ballasting tank at the aft end of the missile. The tank has provision for selectively orienting the missile either in a position for towing purposes or a position for launchnig purposes and further provides for stabilizing the missile in roll when it is in the towing position. Also, the invention provides a device for releasing the tank from the missile at the time of launching so that thereafter the burden of the tank is eliminated. Accordingly, the present invention provides an easily operated device for handling the missile from its time of entry into the water until its ultimate launch and yet does not impose a burden on the missile after launch. Other features of the invention will be more particularly described below in this specification.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for easy handling of a missile from its time of entry into a body of water until its launch therefrom.

Another object is to provide a device for selectively orienting a missile in a body of water in any position from a desired to towing position to a desired launching position.

A further object is to provide a device for selectively orienting a missile in a body of water in any position from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially upright position.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus for easily orienting a missile in a desired towing position in a body of water and easily stabilizing the missile in roll while in the towing position.

Still another object is to provide a missile, and a device for selectively orienting the missile in any position from a substantially horizontal position in a body of water to a substantially upright position therein in which the device is released from the missile at the time of launching the missile.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the acompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus after its entry in the water with the ballasting tank empty.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus with the missile positioned in a substantially horizontal position in the water and stabilized in roll by water located in a lower compartment of the ballasting tank.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus with the tank being filled with water for the purpose of bringing the missile to a substantially upright position in the water.

FIG. 4 is a side View of the apparatus with the tank full of water so as to position the missile in the substantially upright position in the water.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus showing the launching of the missile and the releasing of the tank from the missile.

FIG. 6 is a partial side view of the missile as it leaves the water.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the missile and a cross-sectional view of the tank and releasing mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 an apparatus 10 including a missile 12 and an annular ballasting tank 14. In FIG. 1 the apparatus 10 is shown just after its entry into a body of water 16, such as the high seas, with the tank completely empty. The missile 12 has a nose end 18 and is provided with a rocket engine (not shown) which upon firing exhausts through a bottom exhaust end 20. Further, the missile 12 in the preferred embodiment has an internal void 22 which in combination with the remainder of the apparatus '10 has sufficient buoyancy to float the apparatus with the missile positioned substantially upright in the water when the tank 14 is full of water. Accordingly, the void 22 provides the missile with a positive metacentric height and for other versions of this type of missile reference is made to the above mentioned application of LCDR Draim and LCDR Stalzer.

The tank 14 is divided into two compartments 24 and 26 by a pair of baffles 28 and 30, these baifies overlapping one another and spaced apart so as to provide an opening 32. The compartment 26 is the smaller of the two compartments and is of such a volume that when only it is filled with water the missile is stabilized. in roll in the horizontal position. Disposed in a bottom end 34 of the tank and opening into the compartment 26 is a pipe 36, the pipe 36 being provided with a valve 38 for opening and closing the compartment 26 to water outside the tank 14. As shown in FIG. 1 the location of the pipe 36 is to be such that when the apparatus 10 is disposed in the water with the tank 14 empty, the pipe 36 will be in a submerged condition when the apparatus is properly rolled so as ship or any other suitable means.

closing the tank 14 to the environment outside the tank.

The tank 14 has a tube 44 which provides an opening 46 for the passage of the exhaust gases from the bottom end 20 upon the firing of the missiles rocket engine.

Extending above the top 47 of the tank 14 is a' tube48 whichengages the nozzle 20 -at-50 and -is fixedly attached to the tank by welds 52. ""Boththe nozzle 20 and the tube 48 are provided with internal threads 54 so as to 1 receive an exterior threaded plate 5'6. When the .plate 56 is screwed into both the nozzle20 and the tube 48 the tank 14-is =fixed to the missile 12. To provide additional rigidity the missile is :provided with fins '58 which engage the outer periphery of the top 46 of the tank 14 at -60. The plate *56is preferably constructed of a frangiblematerial and is necked down at 62 to .a sufhcient thinness so as to be rupturedby'the force of the exhaust gases of the missile 12 upon its firing. Uponthe rupture o'ftheplate 56 the plate 56 falls in'two halves'away from the internal threads to breakthe bond between the missile -12 and the tankg14. As shown vin FIG. 7 a hose 59 is attached by a clamp 61'at one end to .thevalve 42 and at itsother end is attached to an air pressure source (not shown) aboard a'support ship (not shown). The hose 59'is to be used only if the missile -is1tobetra'nsferred from the upright position to the horizontal position.

I through the pipe 36. After the compartment 26 is sub stantially full of 'water the valve '42 is closed thereby trapping air in the tank. 14 and stopping the intake of water through the pipe 36. The missile 12 is then positioned as-shown in 'FIG. 2. Alternatively, thetankcould be 'prefilledwith 'a-predetermined amount of water so as to only fill the compartment 26 prior to entry of the apparatus in the 'water and-then after entry the apparatus could berolled to the poistion shown in FIGS. 1 or'2 so thatthe compartment willtake on the water and stabilize the missile in roll. Also,'the apparatus could 'be firstentered into the water and the tank filled with the amount of water required-to fill the compartment 26 and then the rolling operation could be performed to accomplish the After "the apparatus is stabilized in roll it same result. can then be towed to any position in the water by the support ship with a towlinej64 attached at one end to the ship and at the opposite end to the nose end '18 of the missile. Alternatively, the missile could be towed in a reverse direction with a towline attached to the aft end of the tank 14.

After reaching a selected launch site for the missile both :valves 38 and 42 are opened so as to allow water to enter through pipe 36 thence through the opening 32 to completely fill the tank 14. FIG. 3 shows the apparatus transcending'from the horizontal position to the upright position and FIG. 4 shows the. apparatus in its upright position with the missile 12 ready for launch. The missile is then fired by either remote control from the. support After firing the rocket gases exhausted from the nozzle 20 break "the plate 56 at the necked down portion 62 into the'two halves, as

7 shown in FIG. 5, causing the tank to be released from the missile. The missile then commences its travel upward through the water until it departs therefrom as shown in FIG. 6. The tank 14 then descends in the water and can be recovered from the bottom of the water if the The valve 42 is opened thereby venting air water is not too deep or can be recovered by a line (not shown attached between the tank 14 and the support ship prior to launch of the missile.

While battles 28 and 30 were employed to divide the tank 14 into the two compartments 24 and 26 it is to be understood that a single plate extending clear across the tank 14 from the top 47 to'the bottom 34 could be used with merely a hole therein to provide an opening between the compartments.

' Should it become desirable to reposition the apparatus rom the upright position shown .in FIG. 4 to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 the .air hose 59 is attached to the valve 42 with the valve 42 in the open'position and air is forced into the tank todischarge water through the pipe 36. By the pipe '36 being located on'the bottom 34 of the tank, the water is readily discharged therefrom upon the introduction of air. When the water is sufficiently discharged so that only enough water 'exists in the tank 14 for the compartment 26 the valve 42 is closed and the .ap-

paratus is rolled until'the compartment 26 is in the down position as shown in FIG. .2, after which the water will be retained in'the compartment26'ito stabilize'the missile in .roll.

Another important advantage of locating the pipe 36 so that it can be rolled to a submerged condition when the tank 14 is empty is that the positioning of the missile from the horizontal to the upright position or vice versa can be accomplished .by remote control by merely making the valves .38 and 42 remotelyoperable from the support ship. Otherwise the ship would remotely open both valves to orient the missile in the upright position and would introduce air into the tank "to reposition the missile back to the horizontal.

Inthe preferred embodiment the missile has been described as havingapositive 'metacentric height, however. the invention can be practiced with any missile that is floatable in the Water whether it has a positive or negative buoyancy. Further, in the preferred embodiment V is normally the desired positions for towing and launching purposes respectively. However, the invention also contemplates other positions that maybe desirable for towing or launching. For instance in towing the missile in .the water it may become desirable to cause the missile to assume anegative aspect in the water sufficient to cause it to dig slightly therein, thereby enabling the missile to be towed in a submerged condition. For a .furtherdescription of different towing aspects 'in the water reference is made to US. patent application Serial No. 208,- 971 by LCDR John E. Draim and LCDR Charles E. Stalzer for Towing ,An Object In A .Fluid jfiled July 10, 1,962.

It is now readily apparent that the present invention solves the problem of handling a missile from its time of entry into the water until its time of launch by providing hardware which easil-y positions the missile for either tow ing in the water or for launch. Further, the device of the present invention provides extra control of .the missile during towing by stabilizing the missile in roll and releases the ballasting tank 14 upon firing the missile.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended-claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A device :for orienting an elongate water launchable missile in a body of water wherein the missile is fioatable in the water and has a nose end and an exhaust bottom end, said device comprising:

(a) a tank adapted to be releasably mounted at the bottom end of said missile and disposed rearward thereof;

(b) said tank being divided into two compartments by baffle means which are laterally disposed on at least one side of the longitudinal axis of the missile when said tank is mounted to the missile;

(c) the weight and volume of said tank and the volume of one of the compartments being such that when the one compartment is full of water the missile is stabilized in roll and is oriented in a desired towing position when the combination of the tank mounted ot the missile is disposed in the water;

(d) further the weight of the tank and its entire volume being such that when the tank is full of water the missile is positioned substantially upright in the water when said combination is disposed in the water;

(2) said compartments being in communication with one another and each of said compartments having an opening to the outside of said tank with the outside opening of said one compartment capable of allowing Water to enter or exit said one compartment and the outside opening of the other compartment capable of allowing air to vent from or enter said tank;

(f) the outside opening of said one compartment being located so as to be capable of being in a submerged condition when said combination is disposed in the water; and

(g) valve means for opening and closing at least one of said outside openings,

whereby upon selectively opening and closing the valve the missile can be stabilized in roll and oriented for towing purposes by filling said one compartment and can be oriented for launching purposes by completely filling said tank.

2. A device for orienting an elongate fioatable missile in a body of water wherein said missile has a nose end and an exhaust bottom end, said device comprising:

(a) a tank adapted to be mounted at the bottom end of said missile;

(b) plate means dividing the tank into two compartments with one of the compartments being smaller than the other and laterally disposed from the longitudinal axis of said missile when mounted thereto;

(0) the weight and volume of said tank and the volume of the smaller compartment being such that when the smaller compartment is full of water the missile is oriented in a substantially horizontal position and is stabilized in roll when the tank is mounted to the missile;

(d) further the weight of the tank and its entire volume being such that when the tank is full of Water the missile is oriented substantially upright in the water when the tank is mounted thereto;

(2) said plate means having an opening for allowing passage of water and air between said compartments;

(f) each of said compartments having an opening to the outside of said tank with the outside opening of the smaller compartment capable of allowing water to enter or exit the smaller compartment and the outside opening of the larger compartment capable of allowing air to vent from or enter said tank;

(g) the outside opening to the smaller compartment being located so as to be capable of being in a submerged condition when the combination of the tank mounted to the missile is disposed in the water; and

(h) valve means for opening and closing the outside opening of said larger compartment,

whereby upon placing the combination of the tank mounted to the missile in the water said valve means can be opened to vent enough air to fill said smaller compartment with water, thereby stabilizing the missile in roll and orienting it in a horizontal position for towing purposes; opened to vent enough air to fill said tank with water,

thereby orienting the missile substantially upright in the water for launching purposes; and opened to allow the introduction of air under pressure through the outside opening of said larger compartment to discharge water from the tank to bring it back to the upright position.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said tank has an open portion beneath the missile when mounted thereto so as to allow gases exhausted from the missile to pass therethrough.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 including:

(a) means for releasing the tank from the missile upon the firing of said missile.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2 including:

(a) valve means for opening and closing the outside opening of said smaller compartment whereby upon opening the valve means for said larger compartment the valve means for the smaller compartment can be employed to control the transcending of the missile from the horizontal position to the upright position.

6. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said plate means are a pair of baflles spaced from one another so as to provide said opening between the compartments.

7. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said outside openings are substantially diametrically situated from one another and laterally disposed substantially at far sides of the tank.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

(a) the outside opening of the smaller compartment is located at the bottom of the tank when the combination of the tank mounted to the missile is disposed in the water in said upright position so that upon the introduction of air under pressure into the outside opening of the larger compartment water is discharged from said tank.

9. An apparatus comprising:

(a) an elongate missile which is launchable from a body of water;

(b) said missile having a top nose end, a rocket nozzle end and a positive metacentric height;

(0) a ballast tank mounted on the nozzle and extending therebelow;

(d) said missile having fins which engage the tank so as to provide rigidity between the tank and the missile;

(e) said missile having sufficient buoyancy to float the apparatus in the water when said tank is full of water;

(1) a pair of baffles mounted inside said tank along chords thereof and dividing the tank into two compartments with one of the compartments being smaller than the other and located oil to one side of the missile;

(g) said tank when said smaller compartment is full of water being capable of buoying said bottom end so as to work in combination with the positive metacentric height of the missile to position the missile substantially horizontal in the water and stabilize it in roll and said tank when full of water capable of weighting the nozzle end so as to work in combination with said positive metacentric height to position the missile substantially upright in the water;

(h) said bafiles being spaced from one another so as to provide an opening for allowing passage of water and air between said compartments;

(i) each of said compartments having an opening to the outside of said tank;

(j) the outside opening to the smaller tank being located on the bottom of the tank when the missile is in an upright position for the purpose of allowing discharge of water from the tank and further being located near the side of the tank so as to be submerged for water intake purposes when the missile References Cited by the Examiner is in a horizontal POSitiOll; V .UNITED STATES 5PATENTS (k) the outside operiingo'f said'other compartment bea ing substantially diametrically opposite the outside 25024822 12/35 Hort I". I f V opening-ofthe smaller 'compartment and being ca- 5 21 9 40 q fi T 'pable of allowing a'irto ventfrom or enter said tank; 350742311 6 j l (1) Valve means for opening andclosing eaeh of the i TDr ct 7 outside openings to the compartments; 1 9 8 F 5114.6 (m) said tank having an open eentral portion beneath 3,135 62/64 Kamahan the missile so as to allow ,gases exhausted from the 10 OTHER REFERENCES missus PO11firing'wbelassed'therethmugh; and Aviation Week, :vol. 173, No. 24, Dec. 12, 1960, :pages (nu) means for releasing the tank from the missile at '69 73 75 79--Sea Launch Studied for Space Vehicles the time of firing, t whereby ,missile handling can be easily accomplished BENJAMIN A. BQRCHELT Primary vE i prior to firing and the burden of said tank after firing 15 I V p i eli i t d SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examz-n'er. 

1. A DEVICE FOR ORIENTING AN ELONGATE WATER LAUNCHABLE MISSILE IN A BODY OF WATER WHEREIN THE MISSILE IS FLOATABLE IN THE WATER AND HAS A NOSE END AND AN EXHAUST BOTTOM END, SAID DEVICE OMPRISING: (A) A TANK ADAPTED TO BE RELEASABLY MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM END OF SAID MISSILE AND DISPOSED REARWARD THEREOF; (B) SAID TANK BEING DIVIDED INTO TWO COMPARTMENTS BY BAFFLE MEANS WHICH ARE LATERALLY DISPOSED ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE MISSILE WHEN SAID TANK IS MOUNTED TO THE MISSILE; (C) THE WEIGHT AND VOLUME OF SAID TANK AND THE VOLUME OF ONE OF THE COMPARTMENTS BEING SUCH THAT WHEN THE ONE COMPARTMENT IS FULL OF WATER THE MISSILE IS STABILIZED IN ROLL AND IS ORIENTED IN A DESIRED TOWING POSITION WHEN THE COMBINATION OF THE TANK MOUNTED TO THE MISSILE IS DISPOSED IN THE WATER; (D) FURTHER THE WEIGHT OF THE TANK AND ITS ENTIRE VOLUME BEING SUCH THAT WHEN THE TANK IS FULL OF WATER THE MISSILE IS POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT IN THE WATER WHEN SAID COMBINATION IS DISPOSED IN THE WATER; (E) SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH ONE ANOTHER AND EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS HAVING AN OPENING TO THE OUTSIDE OF SAID TANK WITH THE OUTSIDE OPENING OF SAID ONE COMPARTMENT CAPABLE OF ALLOWING WATER TO CENTER OR EXIT SAID ONE COMPARTMENT AND THE OUTSIDE OPENING OF THE OTHER COMPARTMENT CAPABLE OF ALLOWING AIR TO VENT FROM OR ENTER SAID TANK; (F) THE OUTSIDE OPENING OF SAID ONE COMPARTMENT BEING LOCATED SO AS TO BE CAPABLE OF BEING IN A SUBMERGED CONDITION WHEN SAID COMBINATION IS DISPOSED IN THE WATER; AND (G) VALVE MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID OUTSIDE OPENINGS, WHEREBY UPON SELECTIVELY OPENING AND CLOSING THE VALVE THE MISSILE CAN BE STABILIZED IN ROLL AND ORIENTED FOR TOWING PURPOSES BY FILLING SAID ONE COMPARTMENT AND CAN BE ORIENTED FOR LAUNCHING PURPOSES BY COMPLETELY FILLING SAID TANK. 